Teacher Spotlight: Katie Chase

Name: Katie Chase

Grade: 2nd

Your background:

I was born and raised in Norwalk and attended St. Philip School and Norwalk

High School. I have a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from The

University of Rhode Island and a Master’s degree from The University of

Bridgeport. I currently live in Trumbull with my husband Ted and twin

daughters Riley and Caroline.

How long have you been teaching?

I have been teaching at Marvin School since 1996 (thanks to Mrs. Murawski

for having a baby that year and I was her long-term substitute :)). I taught

4th grade for 1 year, Kindergarten for 3 years and 2nd grade for 20 years.

Prior to teaching at Marvin, I taught 3rd grade in North Carolina for 2 years.

What do you love about teaching 2nd grade?

Honestly, I feel like 2nd grade is a hidden gem. Second graders enjoy

building relationships with their peers and adults. They are curious,

creative, and not afraid to take risks. Second graders develop

independence, have longer attention spans, and understand teamwork. I

could go on and on about all the special qualities of a seven-year-old. There is nothing I enjoy more than seeing the growth and maturity my students make year after year.

What is your favorite subject or lesson to teach?

My favorite subject to teach is Reading. Although one of the most challenging, seeing a child transition from reading word by word to reading text on their own and sharing information gathered is the most rewarding feeling a teacher can experience. When that “light switch” turns on and that love of reading is instilled it makes it all worth it.

Who inspired you to become a teacher?

I have had so many wonderful teachers that inspired me but one of my favorites was my first grade teacher Ms. Starron. I can still remember the way she would read stories to us every day. She made books come alive and she loved all of her students as if they were her own.

A fun fact about you!

I job shared with Mrs. Suda for 6 years and I can stand on my head for hours!! :)

We know how hard teachers are working in this unprecedented year.

What has been your biggest learning, take away or success thus far this

year?

Teachers and parents everywhere are working harder than ever in these

unprecedented times. As difficult as the transition has been, it has reassured me

that the importance of focusing on the whole child is and always will be what’s

most important. Developing connections with every one of my students and

balancing academics with social/emotional wellness continues to be my primary

focus. I am so proud of all of my in person and remote students. They are working

so hard adjusting to our new routines. Kids are resilient!

Thank you, Mrs. Chase, for ALL you do for our Marvin students!

Why we love Mrs. Chase!

“I loved Mrs. Chase from the first orientation zoom we had before school started. Her enthusiasm and care for the children was so obvious and reassuring as we entered a year of unknowns in the 2020 school year. But I knew when Victor came back home the first day that we would be ok. Mrs. Chase makes my son look forward to school every day, gladly work on his school projects and assignments and I love how she pushes and engages his creativity.” - Claudia Epure, Marvin parent

“What I like about Mrs. Chase is that she is always kind to me and she’s very good at computers when we do remote learning. She’s also fun when we do indoor recess because she lets us do GoNoodle. Mrs. Chase is the best teacher!” - Victor Epure, current student

"Katerina is in 5th grade now but still remembers Mrs. Chase like it was yesterday that she was in 2nd grade. Mrs. Chase was a great teacher for Katerina. Katerina was very engaged while in her class and excited about learning. Katerina came home in a very happy mood saying wonderful things about Mrs. Chase. Thank you for all the great support and conversation!"- Luisa Kleftogiannis, Marvin parent

"Mrs. Chase was very nice teacher. I will never forget our pet fish and all the fun activities. It made learning so much easier." Katerina Kleftogiannis, former student

"Mrs. Chase taught both my kids in 2nd grade. I found that 2nd grade was such a transitional year, getting the kids more excited about learning. We love Mrs. Chase’s easy-going, fun nature. She truly loves what she does and it shows in how much she loves our kids! Her smiling face is always a welcome sight, we are so thankful for her support and all of her hard work!"

- Kathleen Boland, Marvin parent

"Mrs. Chase was always there when I needed help. I loved when we played “Around The World”. It’s a really fun Math game. She will always be one of my favorite teachers!"

-Patrick Boland, former student

"Mrs. Chase’s class was so much fun! I loved doing arts and crafts, especially the sock snowmen. She made learning fun!"

-Sydney Boland, former student